Don’t look now, but the Chicago White Sox have a Cleveland problem.
And it isn’t even just a problem with those pesky Guardians. It’s actually a problem with the whole American League Central, the division the Chicago White Sox were expected to dominate this season after winning the AL Central by 13 games in 2021.
Wondering why the Chicago White Sox are hovering around .500 this season? Look no further than their play within the division they were supposed to dominate
After the Guardians rallied for six runs in the ninth inning on Monday night to tie the game, then outscore the White Sox 4-1 in extra frames to take the game, Chicago dropped to 0-4 this season against Cleveland and 3-10 against teams from the AL Central (including 0-3 against the Minnesota Twins).
Monday’s loss wasn’t just frustrating for the White Sox but it also had a historic context to it as well. The Southsiders had not lost when they had a lead of at least six runs in the ninth inning since a seven-run ninth gave the Kansas City Royals an 8-7 victory on July 28, 2016.
Call it a fluke. Call it a situation resulting from a cascade of injuries. Call it what you will, but it’s another step in the wrong direction for the White Sox in the early stages of a schedule that was peppered with AL Central opponents (half of Chicago’s games entering Monday had been within the division). It’s also a slow start if Chicago is going to catch up with last season’s 44-32 record against their division rivals.
The good news for the White Sox is that the schedule gives them plenty of chances over the next two weeks to turn around their division fortunes. A pair of home games against Cleveland on Tuesday and Wednesday will provide a quick opportunity to rebound against the Guardians, and five games in four days in Kansas City next week give the White Sox a chance to build some space between them and the team that is currently right below them in the current standings.
It’s early and Chicago’s bats are expected to heat up soon, but if the White Sox are going to charge up the standings and shake their current third-place doldrums, now is the time to start flexing their muscles against the rest of the AL Central.